Apparatus for raising towers.



No. 659,607. Patented Oct. 9, I900. A. B. GIFFORD &. E. E. HULL.

APPARATUS FORR'AISIMG TOWERS.

(Applicafion filed Mar. 13, 1900.]

,(No Indel.)

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UNETED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

ABROM B. GIFFORD AND EDWARD E. HULL, OF JESSUP, IOWA.

APPARATUS FOR RAISING TOWERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 659,607, dated October9, 1900. Application filed March 13, 1900. Serial No. 8,504. (No model.)

To all 14/71/0717 it may concern:

Be it known that we, ABROM B. GIFFORD and EDWARD E. HULL, citizens ofthe United States, residing at J essup, in the county of Buchanan andState of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatusfor Raising Towers for Windmills, &c., of which the following is aspecification.

One object of this invention is to provide a device of simple, strong,and durable construction which may be readily and quickly clamped to twoof the uprights of a windmilltower and to two of the anchor-posts of awind-- mill-tower to serve as a pivot upon which the tower may be raisedand when the tower is raised to hold the uprights and anchor-posts inproper relative position for receiving bolts through the coincidingopenings in the uprights and anchonposts.

A further object is to provide means whereby the uprights to which theapparatus is applied cannot buckle.

A further object is to provide an apparatus of this class which may beeasily and quickly adapted for use in connection with windmilltowershaving either three or four uprights.

Our invention consists in certain details in the construction,arrangement, and combination of the various parts of the apparatuswhereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fullyset forth, pointed out in our claims, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows the lower end portion ofa windmill-tower lying flat upon the groundsurface and an anchor-postset in position and our improved apparatus applied thereto ready forpractical use. Fig. 2 shows in detail a side elevation of an anchor-postin the ground, a short section of a windmill-upright, and our deviceapplied thereto as in practical use. Fig. 3 shows a detail perspectiveview of the part of the apparatus designed to be clamped to ananchor-post. Fig. 4 shows a perspective View of the part of theapparatus designed to be clamped to the towerupright.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, we have used thereference-numeral 10 to indicate the anchor-post, preferably made ofangle-iron in the ordinary manner and having the openings 11 at its topportion to re ceive the bolts.

The reference-numeral12 indicates a windmill'tower upright, also made ofangle-iron and having openings 13 arranged to coincide with the openings11, so that after the tower is in position the bolts may be passedthrough the openings 11 and 13 to firmly fasten the tower to theanchor-posts.

It is to be understood in the following description that there are twomating devices designed to be secured to the two lower uprights of atower and to two of the anchor posts. These devices are identical inconstruction and function, and hence but one will be hereinafter fullydescribed. The part designed for attachment to the anchor-post ispreferably formed complete in one piece and comprises the sides 14 and15, extending at right angles to each other. The outer end of each partis slotted at 16, and a bolt 17 is passed through the slot. This bolt 17has an elongated head 18, and a nut 19 is placed on the outer end of thebolt. At the corner of these parts 14 and 15 are two integral lugs 20,provided with openings 21 to receive the bolt 22 and to form part of ahinge-joint. In use it is obvious that this part just described may bereadily and quickly clamped to an anchor-post of any ordinary size byfirst placing it against the anchor-post, then moving the bolts 17 untilthe heads 18 overlap the sides of the anchor-post, and finally drawingthe nuts 19 tight. I

The remaining part of the device comprises a straight bar 23, having anopening at one end, through which the bolt 22 is passed. The width ofthis bar is preferably slightly less than the space between the lugs 20.Hence a limited lateral movement is permitted in the hinge-joint formedby these parts, the purpose of which will be hereinafter made clear. Aslight distance from this bolt 22 a clamping device is fixed to the part23 by means of a bolt 24. This clamping device is preferably composed oftwo parts 25 and 25*, each having a longitudinal slot 26 near its outerend, and the lugs 27 are provided for overlapping the bar 23. The saidbolt 24 is passed through these lugs and through the bar 23. Bolts 28,having elongated heads of the same kind as the heads 18, beforedescribed, are passed through these slots 26. At the opposite end of thebar 23 is a clamping device similar to the one just described, buthaving only one lug 27, and at a point near the lower clamping device isa guide 29, formed on orfixed to the bar 23 and designed to engage thesides of an angle-bar or tower-upright secured in said clamping deviceto prevent the said upright from curving or bending between these clamping devices. It is obvious that the lower clamping device may bedispensed with when desired without changing the purpose or operation ofour invention.

To adapt the apparatus for use in connection with windmill-towers havingonly three uprights, we have provided the wedge-shaped blocks 30, havinglongitudinal slots therein and designed to have the bolts 28 passedthrough the slots in the parts 30 as well as the slots in the parts 25.Hence the device may be fitted to the angle-irons of different angles.

In practical use the anchor-posts are first set and the windmilltower ismoved adjacent to the two posts, then the top edges of the parts 14 andof the clamping device are placed a distance below the lower one of thebolt-holes 11 corresponding to the distance from the bottom of theupright 12 to the lower one of the holes 13, and the said parts are thensecured to the anchor-post by means of the nuts 19. Then the clamps aresecured to the lower part of uprights 12 in such a position that thelower edge of the upright 12 will rest upon the top of the parts 14 and15 when the uprights 12 are in their elevated position. It is obviousthat the guides 29 will then engage the sides of the upright 12. Afterthis is done the tower is elevated in the ordinary way. is obvious thatthe guy-ropes usually employed to prevent the tower from swinginglaterally are unnecessary, and hence may be dispensed with, it beingonly necessary to apply such power to the tower as will tend to raiseit. Then when the tower is raised the lower ends of the uprights willrest upon the top edges of the clamps on the anchorposts, and theopenings in the tower-uprights and anchor-posts will coincide, so thatthese parts may be firmly bolted together. By permitting a slightlateral play in the hingejoint it is obvious that the uprights 12 mayHowever, it.

readily adapt themselves to accurately fit upon the anchor posts, andslight lateral strains upon the windmill-tower while being elevated willnot interfere with the raising of the tower and will not cause thehingejoint to bind. The said guides 29 prevent the uprights 12 frombending between the clamps, and hence serve to draw the lower ends ofthe upright to accurately fit upon the top portions of the anchor-posts.

'I-Iaviug thus described our invention, what We claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States therefor, is

1. An apparatus for raising windmill-towers, comprising in combination,a frame designed to be placed on an anchor-post, means for detachablyclamping said frame to the post, a bar hinged to the said frame, andmeans connected with the bar for detachably securing the bar to awindmill-tower upright, substantially as, and for the purposes stated.

2. An apparatus for raising windmill-towers, comprising in combination,a frame de signed to be placed on an anchor-post, a bar hinged to thesaid frame, a clamp near the upper end of the bar, designedfordetachable connection with the windmill-tower upright, substantiallyas, and for the purposes stated.

3. An apparatus for raising windmill-towers, comprising in combination,a frame composed of the parts 14 and 15 at right angles to each other,and having longitudinal slotsnear their outer ends, bolts havingelongated heads, passed through said slots, perforated lugs at thecorner of said frame, a bar 23 de signed to enter between saidperforated lugs and capable of slight lateral movement therein, a boltfor securing said bar to the lugs, two frames 25 and 25 connected withthe bar 23, and having longitudinal slots in their ends, bolts havingelongated heads mounted in said slots, and wedge-shaped blocks 30, alsohaving elongated slots, designed to lie parallel with the sides of theframes 25, and to have said bolts passed through them, and a guide 29 onthe bar 23, substantially as, and for the purposes stated.

ABROM B. GIFFORD. EDWARD E. HULL.

Witnesses:

G. S. COOPER, ERNEST E. GARRICK.

